LivingLifeGolden.com promotes a natural, healthier lifestyle by inspiring people to be proactive in their own lives through preventive maintenance. Though I love talking about healthy nutrition and am going to expand my contribution to the Wellness Industry by sweetening things up a bit. I've advanced my studies in Nutrition to become a Chocolatier. I've studied Chocolate and the many benefits that come along with it.
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Sunday, May 6, 2012

What is Nutrition? Why is Nutrition Important?

Nutrition, nourishment, energy, or ailment, is the supply of materials – food – required by organisms and cells to stay alive. In science and human medicine, nutrition is the science or practice of consuming and utilizing foods.

In hospitals, nutrition may refer to the food requirements of patients, including nutritional solutions delivered via an IV (intravenous) or IG (intragastric) tube.

Nutrition science studies how the body breaks food down (catabolism), and repairs and creates cells and tissue (anabolism) – catabolism and anabolism = metabolism. Nutritional science also examines how the body responds to food. In other words, “nutritional science investigates the metabolic and physiological responses of the body to diet.”

As molecular biology, biochemistry and genetics advance, nutrition has become more focused on the steps of biochemical sequences through which substances inside us and other living organisms and transformed from one form to another – metabolism and metabolic pathways.

Nutrition also focuses on how diseases, conditions and problems can be prevented or lessened with a healthy diet. Nutrition also involves identifying how certain diseases, conditions or problems may be caused by dietary factors, such as poor diet (malnutrition), food allergies, metabolic diseases, etc.

The difference between a dietician and nutritionist

A dietician studies dietetics, while a nutritionist studies nutrition. The two terms are often interchangeable, however they are not, 100% identical.

• Dietetics: the interpretation and communication of the science of nutrition so that people can make informed and practical choices about food and lifestyle, in both health and disease. Part of a dietician’s course includes both hospital and community settings. The majority of dieticians work in health care, education and research, while a much smaller portion also work in the food industry.

• Nutrition: the study of nutrients in food, how the body uses the nutrients, and the relationship between diet, health and disease. Major food manufacturers employ nutritionist and food scientists. Nutritionist may also work in journalism, education and research. Many nutritionists work in the field of food science and technology. Exercise Nutritionist work in the field of Exercise, Fitness and Sports. Nutritionist are a great source to use for developing a recommended Meal Plan based on your lifestyle and the foods you love.

There is a lot of overlap between what a nutritionist and dieticians do and studied. Some nutritionists work in the healthcare industry, some dieticians work in the food industry, but a higher percentage of nutritionist work in the fitness, food science and technology industry.